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Notes about Recipes in this book

Pg. 38. Basic but classic in its flavour profile. I did add chicken stock instead of water, but otherwise followed precisely. Just the right balance of allium and potato flavour. Also, very simple since the recipe doesn't call for sauteeing of the vegetables. Plus the only added fat is 4 tb of cream.

I didn't quite follow her recipe so I can't fault her. I made the garlic base and was going to have it on its own without the crouton to save on calories but it was flat and a little boring. Spencer didn't mind it and will drink it as a simple broth.

The note stating this is like a quiche without a crust must be referring to a different recipe. This is closer to hash browns that are held together with a little egg. This is neither creamy nor eggy. It is, however, quite good.

This recipe always works well for me. I once tried her dessert crepe recipe from this book, and for some reason it didn't turn out--so I use this for both sweet and savory dishes. As stated in most crepe recipe disclaimers, the first one from the pan might be a disappointment. Keep going, and soon you will pick up the rhythm!

The ratio of flour to butter and cheese is quite off. I would double the flour to start. Watch them carefully as it is easy to let them get too done and it shows up in the flavor. A hit with guests, but test before they arrive and have the pans ready to go in the oven -- they are time-consuming to make on the spot but delicious warm.

Made these for Christmas Eve dinner to accompany a Beef Short Rib dinner. They were delicious! And so easy! I was a bit nervous about them as I haven't baked much in the last few years and I had to make the dough the day before. They turned out beautifully. While they are certainly not light in fat and calories, they were very light in texture. Unfortunately, that means that one is tempted to eat more than one probably should....

When I have leftover chicken and some extra time, I make this and use it to fill layers of crepes (see the Pate a Crepes recipe p. 191). Rich, but delicious! Brings back memories of eating at the Magic Pan at the Houston Galleria with my mom!

Many moons ago, my mother-in-law bequeathed her baking scallop shells to me. Of course I had to try them out, and I used this recipe. I thought this was delicious. I used small scallops--easier to pile into the shells.

Many moons ago, my mother-in-law bequeathed her baking scallop shells to me. Of course, I had to try them out, and I used this recipe. I thought this was delicious. I used small scallops--easier to pile them in to the shells.

These were just delicious. You could use smaller bay scallops and therefore not have to slice them. You also need a good sized pan to properly brown them. That said once all is done these are just scrumptious with a lovely rich savoury flavour. You can go light on the dotting with butter.

I have cooked more chicken parts than roasting whole chickens through the years. The time I attempted this roasting technique, I got quite frustrated. I had difficulty turning the chicken on its side without breaking the skin and gouging the meat. I would love to hear how other people manage this. I do think starting with the back-side-up first and then flipping the chicken to breast-side-up to finish roasting is an easier technique. The sauce that accompanies this recipe is fabulous.

The sauce for this is delicious. It isn't terribly complex or active but it is somewhat time consuming. Overall the flavours were great with a nice richness, great mouth feel and and the additional cognac gives it a tiny bit of bite.

Pg 269 I was a bit worried about this recipe because the instructions seemed a little odd to me. She suggests that you simply roll the breasts in the melted butter and then roast in the oven. For bone off chicken breasts I was worried this would lead to tough dry meat, but also the lack of browning would likely yield a less flavourful breast. Plus she only has you sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes, which usually result in mushy mushrooms that haven't had the benefit of browning. All my worries aside this dish was great, it just goes to show that there is more than one way of doing things. The breasts themselves were simple due to the lack of browning, but the sauce was so flavourful it didn't matter. The mushrooms pick up some colour in the oven and then they brown a bit at the end as well when you are reducing the liquid over high heat. My only quibble is that she has you check the breasts for doneness after 6 minutes, mine took about 20.

Pg 294
Overall this dish was good but it was a bit on the rich side. Firstly, she suggests going with a rib steak, which is relatively fatty, so when it is combined with a buttery pan sauce it is all a little too much. That being said, I think this preparation would be very good with a less fatty cut, like a filet mignon. Also I might add a squeeze of acid or a touch of wine at the end so that there is some acidity to cut the richness of the butter.

This is a bit different. The overall flavour is pretty good but I think the dish should be modified. You should take half the bacon and fry and then crumble as a garnish for flavour and texture. Also, I added a bit of corn starch to thicken the sauce as it was super watery and contained a lot of the flavour, this helps quite a bit. The beef ended up being a little dry but I think that might be because you salted the marinade, maybe you should just salt at the end. Overall it would likely be pretty good with all these changes but the bourguinon and the carbonnade are much better, even if a bit more work.

Pg. 345 Made with lamb shoulder that was already trimmed to about 1X1 inch, 3 tb tomato paste, 2 large yukon golds, 3 large carrots, 2 large turnips, 12 cipolini, and about 3 cups of stock. Did the meat in two cups and then had to add another cup when I added all the vegetables. I should have had far fewer vegetables than she called for but I assume the vegetables she was calling for were the tiny spring babies, and mine were full sized. The only step I didn't follow is I didn't drain the meat after an hour and then skim the sauce. It didn't look particularly fatty so I skipped this step. I'm also not sure I would use cipolini next time as they essentially dissolve into the sauce so regular onions would be less hassle. Overall this was delicious. I found that the medley of vegetables and the super flavourful lamb were enough to make this great. I did up my herbs to 1/2 tsp of rosemary and 1/2 tsp of thyme, and would do so again. Clean and simple flavours but very tasty.

Pg. 321
This recipe was dead easy, especially by Julia's standards, and very flavourful. It almost makes me think of a French Biryani with it's lusciously lamb infused rice, but the flavour profile is definitely mediterranean, with the saffron, vermouth, thyme, and touch of garlic. I did modify the recipe in the sense that I used a braising pan and essentially cooked all the components in the pan and then removed to a separate instead of a casserole, which then went into the oven. This way I was able to build a lovely fond which was a major contributor to the finished dish. I would go a bit heavier on the thyme next time, and possibly leave out the saffron if I didn't have any handy. Great dish!

The marinade was very nice. I used a very small roast that I cooked to about 165 which was just right for us. The marinade really got in there, so the pork's natural flavour was well accentuated, especially by the lemon.

I used loin chops and theybwerevhustbflavourless despite the browning. The cooking ties Julia suggests, even for bone in meat, is way too long. The sauce also turns out under seasoned tasting pretty much only of tomato.

I have to admit I put less butter than she suggested which might have impacted the results. I'm not sure thought since I found them buttery enough, but not necessarily enough acidity since she suggests you go light on the lemon juice. Overall it is a good dish, but nothing spectacular. I do suggest you cook the beans far less than she suggest, maybe check after 6 minutes.

This is a very good rendition of creamed spinach. The cream doesn't obliterate the spinach flavor but there's enough to compliment the spinach and tone down its earthiness. Our two-year old demanded more and ended up licking the serving spoon.

The method may look like too much work compared to other recipes for ratatouille, but it is worth it. The result is superb. I always make lots, because it improves with keeping, and freezes well too. Good hot or cold, with lots of good bread. Note, I always use red peppers rather than green.

This recipe is a bit fussy, but the ingredients are basic and it is worth the effort. Sauteeing each vegetable separately helps them keep their distinct identities and flavors. Next time I am going to use a better olive oil instead of my every day cooking olive oil. As "adrienneyoung" states, it will benefit from the flavor.

30 years and I've not been able to improve on this recipe. Everytime I take shortcuts or detours the results are just okay. Best lunch in the world next day.... room temp with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt.

These are significantly more complicated than your regular roasted garlic mashed potatoes. The creamy consistency is great, and the garlic is a wonderful note that is potent without being overpowering.

Julia, my dear Julia, this did not turn out as well as I had hoped. I made this to go with my Christmas dinner of spiral ham, roasted Brussel sprouts and scallion & cheddar drop biscuits. Because I was juggling dinner and greeting my parents from out of town, I should have noted that the potatoes needed a bit longer in the oven--maybe 10-15 minutes? The potatoes were a bit firm and there was a lot of liquid when they were scooped out of the serving dish. I guess that the milk solids coagulate, leaving mainly water behind?!? Or was it because I put my potato slices in water before assembling the dish (I did dry them off quite well)?!? The cheese curdled in rubbery chunks throughout the dish, and even though I did season each layer of potatoes, the dish was a bit bland. Oh well, I hope for better luck with another recipe in the future!

Good but perhaps better with a little less lemon as it sort of overpowered the other flavours, maybe up the rest and drop the lemon a bit. As for the overall flavour it isn't something you would eat a lot of, so maybe best to serve in a salad or in a platter wtih lots of other veggies in Court Bouillon

Excellent instructions take you through this many-step recipe, and yields a very light, delicious, and refreshing dessert. First you cook a custard (with yolks, orange zest, etc), add softened gelatin, cool and fold in beaten egg whites, and finally fold in some barely thickened cream. The metal mold released the dessert well, and it ended up just perfect!
I prepared this prior to my cookbook club, so I will hopefully not make too many mistakes. Looking at the variations, might go with raspberry and almond for the Saturday party.

I had execution issues with this dish that are entirely my own fault, and not Julia's! (I think my CSA eggs are smaller than large eggs, and I also should have used a pie dish to bake the clafouti.) But I love any type of boozy cherry dessert and this definitely fits the bill- use the variation without any type of liquor if you want a more pure cherry taste. (Flagged by experts as one of Julia's top 100 recipes.)

I haven't made this recipe in awhile, but I used to make it every cherry season for quite a few years. I always pit the cherries, but someday I will leave them in to see if I can detect a difference in flavor! This is an easy recipe--it just takes time to pit the cherries.

This came together in about 35 minutes and was very tasty. Make sure not to overdue the cornstarch and you might want to brown the beef for the recommended time as this time you went a tiny bit short. Spencer quite liked this.

Publishers Text

The only cookbook that explains how to create authentic French dishes in American kitchens with American foods. Teaches the key techniques of French cooking, permitting many variations on a theme. Over 100 instructive drawings.